102 · Representative Documents: Job Descriptions
University of Waterloo
Digital Special Collections Librarian
http://www.hr.uwaterloo.ca/.jd/00001408.html
This position is one of three reporting to the Head, Special Collections. The others are the
Archivist, Special Collections, and the Library Clerk/Secretary. The Doris Lewis Rare Book
Room houses literary and historical archive collections serving the research needs of
undergraduates, graduates, faculty members, community members and outside researchers.
Staff provide reference assistance by mail, telephone, personal visit or electronically. The
collections include the University of Waterloo Archives, comprised of official records of
University administrative offices, faculties and departments, and materials created by
University-related groups and private donors, documenting the history of the University.
Access to these materials is provided to the university community and outside researchers in
accordance with University of Waterloo policies and guidelines, the Canadian Copyright Act,
the Ontario Freedom of Information and Protection of Personal Privacy Act, and, for private
donations, the donor's wishes as stated upon transfer of documents.
The incumbent provides leadership with respect to the curation and preservation of
born-digital and digitized materials, and the integration of long-term digital preservation
services into existing Library services. The incumbent provides support to other Library staff,
recognizes and encourages their contributions and builds productive, team-based
relationships, and also leads by building effective working relationships with other staff at the
University of Waterloo and in other TUG Libraries.
The incumbent develops expertise in emerging national and international standards for digital
archives, digital curation and preservation such as the Open Archival Information System
(OAIS) Reference Model, digital preservation metadata standards (e.g., PREMIS, METS), and
emerging standards for trusted digital repositories as well as standards for other archives
functions, such as archival description. The incumbent is responsible for the creation and
maintenance of internal files which support the provision of discovery and access services, and
must also be familiar with other Library policies and procedures.
Increasingly, literary and historical archives and university archives collections include “born-
digital” materials or materials requiring digitization for their continuing preservation and
access. The incumbent will, starting with University Archives, develop and manage the
Library’s digitization for preservation and digital repository services, the university web
archive, and associated discovery and access initiatives for born-digital and digitized
collections. The incumbent will liaise with the university records manager and other university
officials, in identifying university digital assets of enduring institutional value, and in
developing strategies for their long-term preservation and use.
The incumbent will also work closely with Library departments, providing assistance and
guidance to librarians and staff who are creating or have digital assets that are of lasting
interest to the University and broader academic disciplinary communities.
Information access management aspects of this position include appraisal, accessioning,
arrangement, description and preservation of archival materials, both digital and analogue. For
each collection the incumbent creates an accession record and inventory determines a logical,
informative and appropriate arrangement which conforms to archival principles conducts
historical research to determine biographical and historical information relating to the
collection identifies the metadata required to ensure that the content, context, and structure
of the collection will continue to be available and understandable to researchers, and that the
collection will remain usable creates a finding aid and, for digital materials, ensures that
copies of digital records and their associated metadata can be made available to all users who
require them. The incumbent provides information access to digital and analogue archival
8/9/12 4:55 PM http://www.hr.uwaterloo.ca/.jd/00001408.html
Previous Page Next Page